A great problem to have

It’s been a case of no Matthew Dellavedova, no Ian Clark, no problem for Melbourne United in their last two games, and although the current ladder-leaders will undoubtedly be strengthened by the return of their duo of NBA champions, Andrew Gaze and Derek Rucker have questioned where it will leave the club’s young stars who have stepped up.

Flynn Cameron has launched himself into the NBL limelight in the absence of Dellavedova and Clark, and currently has the best net +/- in the entire NBL, while Kyle Bowen has experienced an increase in minutes due to various circumstances surrounding Melbourne’s rotation of bigs.

Development player Campbell Blogg even stepped up when called upon against the Kings to end the game with seven points.

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Dellavedova and Clark are likely to return to action following this week’s mid-season break, and Rucker believes Dean Vickerman’s coaching style has allowed the club's youngsters to excel these past games.

“He’s got courage,” Rucker said of Vickerman on SEN.

“We talk about it all the time on the NBL broadcast where some coaches are so reluctant and apprehensive to find the method to get these guys in the game.

“Dean, with the best team in the competition, at one point had Campbell Blogg, Flynn Cameron, and Kyle Bowen out there on the floor in a big game – game of the week against the number two team – and I love that.

“Somebody gave us a chance as a young player to go out there in the critical moment and he does it in the biggest game of the year and those guys produce.

“I think Dean – as he showed a couple of seasons ago – when he had Jock (Landale) on the squad, and Chris (Goulding), and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr, he seems to be a coach that can manage those circumstances,” Gaze added.

“[He] seems to keep everyone happy and buying into their role where others find it difficult.

“That’s the beauty of Melbourne United, when these guys go down you’ve got these young guys that can step in and it’s almost seamless.”

So, that leads back to the initial conundrum. When Dellavedova and Clark come back – where does that leave Cameron in Melbourne’s rotation?

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United have one of the most stacked guard rotations in the NBL when fully fit. Along with Dellavedova and Clark, constant Best Defensive Player candidate Shea Ili, possible current MVP leader Goulding, and even natural wing Tanner Krebs are all competing for similar minutes on the floor.

Cameron, as a 23-year-old currently embarking on his first season as a professional, will likely be the one fighting tooth and nail for more opportunity upon the pair’s return.

“With all that depth. Will Dean run into the dilemma of having too many pieces?,” Rucker queried.

“Here’s a guy who on most teams would be playing 20-24 minutes a game, maybe more, and he was only playing 12 minutes a game until these guys got hurt,” Gaze said of Cameron.

“Now he’s got on, and how do you not play this guy ... he played college basketball, this is his first year in and he played with the national team at the World Cup and he’s elite.”